The LeBron James Thread

[Jukeman]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Hey, if Paul or Howard were anywhere near the megastars that transcended basketball, more power to them.

But they aren't, so it won't happen.

Truth, LBJ could've had a reality series while in high school,

If im right, I believe his HS Basketball games started the trend of HS games being on ESPN regularly (before it was a rare happening)


I wouldnt be shocked if BSPN offered him money to do the special.

[redcedarrevenge]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Truth, LBJ could've had a reality series while in high school,

If im right, I believe his HS Basketball games started the trend of HS games being on ESPN regularly (before it was a rare happening)


I wouldnt be shocked if BSPN offered him money to do the special.

People don't get that even guys like Kobe Bryant and Shaq were at this guy's level in the consciousness of the mainstream as LeBron was coming INTO the NBA.

Guy is the biggest star the league has had since Jordan, and outside Tiger Woods, might be the biggest North American athlete in the world. There was money offered; the proceeds went to the Boys and Girls Club. Thing got a 7.0 rating in the middle of the summer. Not only that, but from Wall Street Journal:

Ratings for "The Decision" dwarfed other athlete-related spectacles. ESPN's telecast of Tiger Woods's first public comments about his marital infidelities scored a 1.3 rating, while its exclusive March interview with him posted a 0.4 rating. ESPN's interview last February with Yankees star and admitted steroid user Alex Rodriguez generated a 0.9 rating. (The rating measures percentage of households in metered markets.)

In preliminary figures released Friday, ESPN said the telecast peaked with a 9.6 rating from 9:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., when Mr. James made his announcement. The top three markets were Cleveland (26.0 rating), Columbus, Ohio (14.2), and Miami (12.8), according to ESPN.

People obviously don't get that LeBron James doing a presser or a fax or whatever it is that they say he should've done wasn't fitting for an athlete of his magnitude, that it was a big enough deal to stand alone. Even if it was? It would've been broadcast all over national television. It's a different world. And as for the content of it? I don't remember James going on national television and saying "I'm taking my talents to South Beach because Cleveland and the Cavaliers are a horrible organization with a horrible owner and their fans are *******s too." The second he said South Beach, he was labeled "traitor", "Judas", and burned his jersey. And why? Because the Cleveland Cavaliers, in their infinite wisdom, didn't tell their fanbase "he isn't communicating with us". How about some of these guys, like OSU_Fan, look at how the organization bungled this entire thing?

Naw, man. All on the player. What a jerk. What a jerk for showing up that rich owner who hasn't been told no his entire life. What a jerk for saying the right things about his former team and getting booed while Z talks mess and gets treated like a hero.

It'd be one thing if it was unilateral, but it's hypocrisy and a showcase that fan culture has gone way off the deep end.

[eye guy]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Its a parents job to be a role model not Lebron

Uhhh whats the definition of a role model?

[BlueNGold]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Sorry redcedar, but there is no defending The Decision. And this is coming from a LeBron fan.

He made himself bigger than the game, and that in itself is a joke. Not to mention -- even if he didn't intend to -- he basically ripped out the heart of an entire city and stomped on it for the entire world to watch. And it was Cleveland of all cities, city not exactly new to heartbreaking moments, which made it even worse.

LeBron could have easily gone about his business like every other free agent in the history of sports and just held a simple press conference. The thing would have got those millions of views regardless. Yes, people in Cleveland would have still been pissed, but every person that was a non-NBA fan or people that didn't have an agenda against LeBron, the same people that now go out of their way to boo LeBron whenever he's in their city, wouldn't have those same opinions they have now if he just went about things the normal way. There was no need for an hour long ESPN special.

[Jukeman]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

Sorry redcedar, but there is no defending The Decision. And this is coming from a LeBron fan.

He made himself bigger than the game, and that in itself is a joke. Not to mention -- even if he didn't intend to -- he basically ripped out the heart of an entire city and stomped on it for the entire world to watch. And it was Cleveland of all cities, city not exactly new to heartbreaking moments, which made it even worse.

LeBron could have easily gone about his business like every other free agent in the history of sports and just held a simple press conference. The thing would have got those millions of views regardless. Yes, people in Cleveland would have still been pissed, but every person that was a non-NBA fan or people that didn't have an agenda against LeBron, the same people that now go out of their way to boo LeBron whenever he's in their city, wouldn't have those same opinions they have now if he just went about things the normal way. There was no need for an hour long ESPN special.

True, but a guy who wants to become a billionaire doesnt take the normal route...

Maybe he wants to be bigger than the NBA.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

What route do billionaires take then?

Meanwhile we criticize a certain someone in the NFL for trying to be "bigger than the NFL".

Double Standards/Hypocrisy FTW!!!!!

[BlueNGold]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

What route do billionaires take then?

Meanwhile we criticize a certain someone in the NFL for trying to be "bigger than the NFL".

Double Standards/Hypocrisy FTW!!!!!

We talking Mr. Cellphone Pics here?

To Juke's point, in that situation there was no need to NOT go the normal route. The guy is already big enough that a simple press conference would have been nearly as big as The Decision without the "***holish-ness" of the whole thing.

[Jukeman]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

What route do billionaires take then?

Meanwhile we criticize a certain someone in the NFL for trying to be "bigger than the NFL".

Double Standards/Hypocrisy FTW!!!!!

Who have I criticized for someone in the NFL trying to bigger than the league? Maybe that was a general statement but either why I didnt say I agree/disagree with LBJ's action

If I knew what routes billionaires take, I'd be one myself

At the end of the day, the 1 hour of entertainment made this thread a long one and made Bosh and Wade look like story #2.

There is not even a "Miami Heat" thread....

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

It was a general comment, not directed at you sir.

[da ThRONe]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

People don't get that even guys like Kobe Bryant and Shaq were at this guy's level in the consciousness of the mainstream as LeBron was coming INTO the NBA.

Guy is the biggest star the league has had since Jordan, and outside Tiger Woods, might be the biggest North American athlete in the world. There was money offered; the proceeds went to the Boys and Girls Club. Thing got a 7.0 rating in the middle of the summer. Not only that, but from Wall Street Journal:

People obviously don't get that LeBron James doing a presser or a fax or whatever it is that they say he should've done wasn't fitting for an athlete of his magnitude, that it was a big enough deal to stand alone. Even if it was? It would've been broadcast all over national television. It's a different world. And as for the content of it? I don't remember James going on national television and saying "I'm taking my talents to South Beach because Cleveland and the Cavaliers are a horrible organization with a horrible owner and their fans are *******s too." The second he said South Beach, he was labeled "traitor", "Judas", and burned his jersey. And why? Because the Cleveland Cavaliers, in their infinite wisdom, didn't tell their fanbase "he isn't communicating with us". How about some of these guys, like OSU_Fan, look at how the organization bungled this entire thing?

Naw, man. All on the player. What a jerk. What a jerk for showing up that rich owner who hasn't been told no his entire life. What a jerk for saying the right things about his former team and getting booed while Z talks mess and gets treated like a hero.

It'd be one thing if it was unilateral, but it's hypocrisy and a showcase that fan culture has gone way off the deep end.

I agree you about having the Decision televised. If he said he was staying in Cleveland nobody would have taken any exception to it. He could have done it better and been more classy about how he contacted Dan Gilbert ,but there is nothing wrong with marketing yourself like he did.

I think it's stupid to keep tweeting things and back tracking. Weither or not things get taken the wrong way he knows if he lets those things get out people will assume. So either let them assume or just stop putting out vague statements.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

For the 1,000,000th time, people were not mad at him for leaving Cleveland so stop saying that.

[da ThRONe]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

If during the show LeBron said I'm staying in Cleveland he would not be viewed so negatively and most people wouldn't have had a problem with the Decision.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

People wouldn't have an issue with him if he didn't do the show...PERIOD. It has nothing to do with where he went.

[TheShizNo1]

People wouldn't have an issue with him if he didn't do the show...PERIOD. It has nothing to do with where he went.

This so much! That was one of the biggest bitch moves I've ever seen.

And btw, if he were staying in cleveland, he never would've had the show
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[da ThRONe]

Re: The LeBron James Thread

It was a show. If you had a problem with it you should have done with I do to shows I don't want to see and not watch it. People gripe and complian ,but they watched.

Are we not to have LOI coverage where kids pick the hat of the school they are attending? This was no difference. I would never believe people would take the Decision so personally. Yet they are ok with athlete selling things. LeBron was marketing himself just like athletes have been doing for decades now and he gets kill for it. WHY?